James Price (1855-1936)
James Price (1855-1936) Son of James Price (1831-1895).
1855 Born on 1st December 1855.
His career was launched as resident engineer on the Bantry Extension Railway, followed by work on a number of docks and harbours. During this time he joined his father in his Dublin consultancy, and in 1880 took up the post of resident engineer for the Lough Erne scheme.
He married Annie Armstrong in 1883, & she bore him three children. She died two weeks after the birth of their third child of puerperal fever, the name then given to septicemia arising from childbirth.
Leaving his three little children with their grandparents, he next worked on the building of the Northern Extension of the Uruguay Central Railway.
Elected Member of I.C.E. in 1888.
In 1892 he married Elizabeth Gausson, and in 1893 became resident engineer on the building of the Highland Railway extension from Strome Ferry to Kyle of Lochalsh. This was believed to be the most expensive stretch of railway per mile in the world at that time, having to be blasted out of exceptionally rugged terrain.
In 1895, before this work could be completed, Elizabeth, who was living with him & their children in Scotland, died in precisely the same circumstances as had his first wife.
Then, just three days later, he received news that his father had died very suddenly. James had no choice but to resign his post and return to Ireland with his four children.
A year later he married Lilian Chermside, a first cousin and a lady of mature years, and took up the post of Resident Engineer to the Cork Harbour Commissioners. This is one of the three largest natural harbours in the entire world, & incorporates the ports of both Cork & Queenstown, now Cobh. Quite a big responsibility. He held this post until his retirement in 1933.
As an interesting sideline, James designed the remarkably fine plasterwork which adorns the boardroom of the Port of Cork, in Cork's Customs House.
1936 Died on 28th September 1936.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Information kindly contributed by Barry Price (family member).